


Can I help you?

by NoMatterTheOceans



Series: Feysand Holiday Fluff Fest [24]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst, F/M, mention of domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:39:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21913039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoMatterTheOceans/pseuds/NoMatterTheOceans
Summary: Part of my Feysand Holiday Fluff Fest, but this one is angsty!!!Prompt: we’re stuck at the airport with cancelled flights and you look really sad
Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Series: Feysand Holiday Fluff Fest [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552855
Comments: 2
Kudos: 72





	Can I help you?

JFK was hell on any day of the year. But during the holidays? It was even worse than that. Families going on holidays that left their toddlers running around, Christmas music blasting from the speakers only interrupted by the delayed flight announcements every now and then, and the freezing cold that took over the terminal once December hit.

If he could, Rhys would avoid planes entirely, but his job had him basically living in the airports. So here he was, still wearing the same crumpled suit he had on the day before, waiting for his plane to go home to Velaris. He couldn’t wait to get home, and spend some time off with Mor, Amren and the guys. Some real time off, when he wasn’t answering his phone or mentally preparing his next meeting. He could lounge on the couch with a glass of wine, he could watch a movie without interruption, he could even take a bath if he felt like it. And it was all starting in -

“This is a call for all passengers departing on flight 764 to Velaris. Flight 764 to Velaris. Due to extreme weather conditions in the Velaris area, our flight will be delayed until further notice. Passengers on flight 764 …”

The announcement got repeated once more, but Rhys didn’t listen. He had heard enough already. Velaris was surrounded by high mountains, and it was common for the airport to close this time of year. “Delayed until further notice” meant that he was probably going to spend the night here instead of at home.

Immediately, he got up to go to the company’s counter and ask for a hotel room near the airport. They were going to tell him it was still early, but he knew the weather of Velaris well enough, and he didn’t want them to get him a hotel in four hours, when it would all be booked. So he reached the counter and waited his turn behind a woman that was clearly distressed by the situation.

“ - You don’t understand, I need to know when we’ll be able to leave. I can’t stay here.”

“I understand, miss, and I’m truly sorry. But sadly, the -”

“weather conditions, I know. Can’t you… Can I take a flight to another city, then?”

“I’m sorry, miss... Archeron. But this is not possible. Your plane ticket is with a set destination, and our company is in charge of this journey only. If you want, you can buy a different plane ticket and ask a refund for this one.”

The woman seemed to consider it. “Can I get a refund now?”

“No, you have to go through our customer service. Here’s the number you can -”

“I don’t want to call anybody! I just want to get out of here.”

“Sadly, the -”

“Weather conditions. I know. Whatever.”

He saw her shoulders slump as she grabbed her plane ticket and passport before leaving the counter. And he was about to walk to the attendant when he saw the woman’s face. Beautiful by all accounts, but it wasn’t her beauty that had caught his attention. It was the red puffiness of her eyes, and the way her lower lip seemed to be split, and was trembling slightly. He stared at her for a moment before he felt a slight push on his shoulder.

“Sir, are you moving?” An annoyed blonde woman called from behind him, and he apologized before grabbing his bag and moving up to the counter.

“Hello Sir, welcome to Prythian Airlines, how may I help you today?”

He was about to answer, but his mind couldn’t focus. He kept seeing the woman begging to get another flight, the way she had been on the verge of tears.

“Hum… It’s okay I don’t… need anything,” he mumbled to the attendant before moving away from the counter and looking back at the crowd, looking for her. And then he found her, a defeated face in a sea of hurried people, sitting on the ground against a wall, tears silently running down her cheeks.

He couldn’t stop himself, he moved towards her in fluid motions against the crowd, until finally, he was standing in front of her.

“Excuse-me, miss?”

Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice, and he saw a glimpse of terror cross her features before she frowned at him. Slowly, he crouched in front of her and gave her a smile.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to bother you, but I was behind you at the counter and you seemed upset. I just thought I would check in with you.”

“Oh, thanks. That’s very kind of you.” She snivelled and unceremoniously brushed the tears from her eyes.

“Do you want some tea? I always travel with a thermos of cinnamon tea in the winter. It helps me calm down when I’m stressed out.”

He took the thermos out of his bag, and she smiled at him, nodding. He unhooked the lid, poured some tea on the small cup he was carrying, and handed it to her. And her smile was so grateful and sad at the same time that he just wanted to hug her and make her feel better. He settled for sitting down beside her instead.

They sat quietly for a while, her sipping tea beside him, a quiet sob still escaping her once in a while, each one calmer than the last. He didn’t want to talk, figuring that she would probably talk when she was ready. And indeed, after a long quiet moment, she said.

“I’m Feyre, by the way.”

“Rhysand.”

She kept sipping the tea, until finally she had reached the bottom of the cup and gave it back to him.

“Do you want more?”

“Yes please.” She smiled again, a smile a bit brighter than her first, and he grinned back.

He refilled the cup, and left her drink quietly. Until finally, he felt like she was ready for him to ask, no more sobs coming from her.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why do you need to get out of here so badly? You were willing to go to another city as long as it got you out.”

She took a few seconds to answer, and he thought she would just ignore him, until finally, she talked.

“I left my boyfriend today.” She inhaled sharply and he saw he close her eyes, as if she was finally realizing what she had done. “I left him, and he doesn’t know yet. And I need to be as far away from him as possible when he realizes I’m gone.”

He understood her panicked look now.

“Your lip,” he started, and she turned to him. “Did he do that to you?”

She nodded, and he forced himself to stay calm. She looked so vulnerable, sitting on the ground beside him, her eyes still filled with tears, holding the cup of tea against her split lip, that he wanted to punch anyone who had made her so miserable.

“I just… I needed to leave him, I couldn’t take it anymore. So I grabbed all the money I had, a few clothes, I came here, and I bought a ticket to Velaris. And now I’m afraid that if I stay here for too long he will find me and bring me back home.”

“Why Velaris? Do you have people who can help you there?”

“No. I don’t have anyone. I just chose Velaris because… It looks like a beautiful city, and I always wanted to go.” She paused, but he could feel she wasn’t done. “And he won’t look for me, there.”

“You know, I’m going to Velaris, too. I can stay with you until we board the plane, would that help you feel safer?”

“I don’t want to bother you.”

“You’re not.”

She smiled at him, a real smile this time, and nodded. “I would like that, then. Thank you.”

They spent the evening together, sharing a crappy dinner at the airport restaurant. They ended up boarding the plane together, and asking the flight attendant to be seated together. And when they reached Velaris, Feyre had a place to stay, and Rhys had a newfound love for delayed flights.


End file.
